Home / Arts and Entertainment / Chinese Oscar Hopeful "Dead to Rights" Tells Wartime Resistance Tale
Chinese Oscar Hopeful "Dead to Rights" Tells Wartime Resistance Tale
28 Sep, 2025
Summary
- China's submission for Best International Feature Film at 2025 Oscars
- Film follows a postman who shelters Chinese soldiers during Japanese occupation
- Grossed over $415 million in China, leading box office for 16 weeks
China has chosen the film "Dead to Rights" as its submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards, set to take place in 2025. The historical drama, written by Shen Ao, Zhang Ke, and Xu Luyang, is set against the backdrop of the 1937 Nanjing Massacre and draws from documented historical events.
The film follows A Chang, a postman played by Liu Haoran, who assumes the identity of a photo developer to survive the Japanese occupation. Operating from within a Japanese-controlled studio, A Chang covertly shelters Chinese soldiers and civilians in an act of quiet resistance. The film is produced by Furuo Qing, known for the "The Wandering Earth" franchise.
"Dead to Rights" opened in China on July 25, 2025 and has since grossed over RMB3 billion ($415 million), leading the local box office for 16 consecutive days over the summer. China has yet to win the international feature Oscar, with only two previous nominations in the category - Zhang Yimou's "Ju Dou" (1991) and "Hero" (2003). The film will now compete for a spot on the international feature shortlist, which will be announced on December 16, 2025.
